When moving into a new home, you may encounter times where you notice water droplets or frost forming on surfaces such as windows and door hardware. This is a predictable phenomenon known as household condensation and not something to worry about.

What is Household Condensation?

Household condensation is droplets of water that form on surfaces of your home. It occurs when warm air collides with cold surfaces, or when there's too much humidity in your home. In these conditions droplets of water and/or frost form when moisture in the air comes into contact with a cold surface such as a window.

Why Does Household Condensation Occur?

A few factors contribute to household condensation:

• Modern construction techniques greatly reduce air leakage and the moisture that traditionally escaped through cracks around windows, doors and walls. This effect is especially pronounced when moving into a new home.
• Home activities such as cooking, showers, dish-washing, and laundry add a great deal of moisture to the air in your home.
• House plants and some home décor add water to homes.
• If you have a humidifier, its setting may be too high.
• Finally, as new homes dry out, the building materials give up moisture to the air in your home during the first few months.

What You Can Do If You Have Household Condensation

Due to the impact that individual living habits have on household condensation, it is outside the scope of your new home warranty. Here is what to try if you are having difficulty with household condensation:

• If you have a humidifier, adjust the setting.
• Use exhaust fans in your bathrooms, kitchen, and laundry areas.
• Adjust the temperature of your home.
• Reduce the number of plants in your home or use artificial plants.
• Cook and do dishes/laundry during times of low humidity.
• Try using a dehumidifier.